ZEG joins ETRA to oppose EBMA's complaint against Vietnam

The market-dominating German dealers' organisation has briefed a Brussels-based legal firm to fight the European Bicycle Manufacturer's claim that bikes made in Vietnam are dumped on the European market.

On its website, Vermulst Waer & Verhaeghe of Brussels said it specialises in "advising clients on EU trade regulations and policy, and representing them before the Community institutions in anti-dumping litigation, anti-subsidy investigations, and other EU trade litigation disputes."

ZEG has commissioned the advocacy firm to represent it to the European Commission which is currently investigating a dumping complaint lodged by the Paris-based European Bicycle Manufacturers' Association. Controversially, EBMA boss Brian Montgomery included Vietnamese suppliers as well as Chinese manufacturers in his dumping complaint.

Many European bicycle markets, especially the UK market, rely on bicycles imported from Vietnam. Raleigh, Saracen and others have their bicycles made in Vietnam.

The European Twowheel Retailers Association codified its opposition to EBMA's complaint in August.

ZEG, the German dealer organisation and buying group, has 900+ members and has compiled a report of its own, refuting EBMA's complaint.

A statement from ZEG said the EBMA complaint was "flawed." Just like ETRA before it, ZEG claims that if EBMA's complaint succeeded it would be to the detriment of European bicycle retailers and to customers.

Vermulst Waer & Verhaeghe said ZEG believes EBMA's complaint should be thrown out because it is anti-competitive, would lead to higher bicycle prices and would offer "unnecessary protection" to a "healthy industry."